Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

Hello all,

My very sudden (and scary) move to Dubai on Jan 4th has me scrambling about like a headless chicken as I've only had 3 weeks to plan my relocation. I've been told I'll need my uni degree attested. I am waiting for an email from my Dubai-employer to explain how this is done but in the meantime I have done some research on the internet (as well as this forum) and found what appears to be companies offering an express (2-5 day turnaround) attestation service for anything between £200-£300 (yuck). Is that the only way to attest a Uni degree or can an individual go about it a cheaper way?

From my understanding of what I have read on this forum (correct me if I am wrong) and other sites, I will need to:

1) Have my degree (I prefer colour copy as I don't want my original messed up) stamped by a UK solicitor
2) Have it stamped by the FCO
3) Then stamped by the UAE Embassy in UK
4) Take this stamped up version to the UAE to be stamped yet again by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

If an attestation company is not needed to do this, I thought perhaps I could walk into a solicitors tomorrow and ask to have it stamped, then run around London to all the various places collecting stamps. Or is that just not the done thing? (Sorry, my first solo move abroad and feel very igorant to all of this!)

Cheers

Saff

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

I think the FCO place that does it is in Milton Keynes

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

Ah cheers for that. I've just googled that and found the FCO forms.

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

Express sevice might be worth doing.

I'm not sure (I'm an degreeless half-wit) but I think they're only interested in the originals....

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

I have just had my degree done. I am in DXB so mum did all the running about in England. As it happened,

1) Solicitor signed a copy of the degree saying it was a true copy [wording on FCO website] he charged i think 8 quid

2) Paid FCO online for the service. I think this was 36 quid

3) Sent original and copy of degree and confirmation of payment to MK for attesting

4) sent back to my folks in england after a week or so.

5) From my understanding, if in the UK, you need to then take this to the UAE embassy in London for them to sign and stamp again. I think there is a same day service, but check the opening hours as i think its 8.30am to 1.30pm only.

hope this is of some help

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

When I did this 2 years ago, one could send it to Milton Keynes including both a special delivery envelope (pre paid) for them to send on to the embassy, and another special delivery envelope (pre paid) for the embassy to use to return to you - saves a bit of time if it doesn't need to come back to you inbetween each stage. I'd check first they still do that.

I also found that if you have any questions, an e-mail to the UAE embassy in London got a quick answer - but do make it very clear exactly what you are asking, as their answers were sometimes a little ambiguous.

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

Cheers everyone for the help!
I found a solicitor today who stamped it and verified my photocopy as a true copy and it's being sent off to Milton Keynes FCO tomorrow. Hope it all comes back in time for me to run down to the UAE Embassy to get it stamped too before I fly off on Jan 4th!

Saff

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

Hiya,

Quick Question - I couldn't find information anywhere to say whether the photocopy had to be colour. Do you know if it is a requirement that it is colour, or is it OK if it is black/white?

Cheers

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

mine was in colour, but i have no idea.

After the FCO had done their bit, my mum sent the document here [dubai] as she could not go to London. All i had to do was visit the UK Dubai embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It was pretty easy getting all the stamps and was about 400AED i think and only took 2 hours.:thumbsup:

Only saying the above if you miss getting to London before you come.

If you need any help when you get here, i'll help where i can

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

What a gentleman :)

Thanks for the info!

I've posted off my solicitor-certified degree to the FCO in MK today. I hope I get it back ASAP! I live 2 hours outside London but I am travelling down there next Friday 28th so I hope the certificate is returned to me by then so I can take it to the UAE Embassy.

I rang the UAE Embassy today to check that their legalisation dept is open next Fri and the lady said "noo.. no no Friday is not a good day for us...."

I said "why?!" She said "because we are praying."

I said "well I'm praying afternoon prayers too so I know it doesn't take ALL DAY!" (I'm Muslim)

She reluctantly said "fine fine.. make sure you bring your degree early in the morning and pick it up later in the afternoon like 3pm."

Haha

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

"We are praying" is often a convenient excuse for doing nothing.

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

I'd be a little wary about this, what she's says they'll do (so as to get an 'awkward' caller off the phone) and what they will actually do, may be very different.

Re. colour or black and white copies, for safeties sake if you can get colour. Also worth scanning it as a pdf or the like so you can email it if need be, and print out colour copies later as well. Worth scanning your passport, driving licence etc etc also.

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

good tip about preparing scans, thanks!

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

you will have to give scans of your passport all over the place (no idea how identity theft is not more rife here?) - seriously for everything you'll need to send a scan or a photocopy / print out of your passport.

You'll also need loads of passport photos - might be cheaper to have them done here though....

Re: Attesting a UK Bachelors Degree before Dubai move
 

If you are coming to the UAE with your documents, ie. they don't want them in advance, then you don't need to go to the UAE embassy. Just bring them here and get them stamped at the foreign office. Much cheaper.